Method, a system and a reactor for electrochemically purifying water

Abstract

A method for electrochemically purifying water which comprises transporting a flow of water to be purified through a bed of metallic particles confined in a reactor and subjected to electrical voltage, the metal of the particles being electrochemically dissolved into the water in order to promote chemical reactions which facilitate the purification of the water and consequently said particles being consumed, the method comprising monitoring the consumption of said particles in the reactor without draining the reactor of water to be purified; and introducing new particles into the reactor if the consumption of particles reaches a predetermined reference threshold value, it being possible to monitor the consumption of the particles by monitoring the mass of the particles in the reactor, preferably by weighing the reactor and the content thereof.

1 . A method for electrochemically purifying water, comprising transporting a flow of water to be purified through a bed of metallic particles confined in a reactor and subjected to electrical voltage, the metal of the particles being electrochemically dissolved into the water in order to promote chemical reactions which facilitate the purification of the water and consequently said particles being consumed, characterized in that the method comprises monitoring the consumption of said particles in the reactor without draining the reactor of water to be purified, preferably without interrupting the flow of the water to be purified; and
 introducing new particles into the reactor if the consumption of particles reaches a predetermined reference threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the monitoring of the consumption of the particles is carried out by monitoring the mass of the particles in the reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the monitoring of the mass of the particles in the reactor is carried out by weighing the reactor and the content thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the operation of introducing new particles into the reactor comprises enabling a connection between a store of new particles, external to the reactor, and the reactor, by means of the operation of a valve device which is automatically actuated when the consumption of particles in the interior of the reactor reaches the predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises, for each type of water to be purified
 establishing a correlation between the conductivity (Cn) of the flow of water to be purified and the margins of the electrical voltage (Vmax, Vmin) suitable for an optimal current load (Q), being
     Q =(current intensity*time)/volume of water to be purified 
   
       and during the purification of water
 applying and maintaining the optimal current load (Q) for the water in treatment; 
 monitoring the conductivity (Ci) of the flow of water introduced in the reactor and the instantaneous electrical voltage (Vi); and 
 operating at least one device for cleaning the interior of the reactor if the monitored instantaneous electrical voltage (Vi) surpasses the upper margin of the corresponding electrical voltage (Vmax) by a predetermined safety factor (f). 
 
     
     
         6 . A system ( 100 ) for electrochemically purifying water comprising a reactor ( 1 ) in the form of a water flood chamber ( 1   a ) with an inlet ( 15 ) for receiving water; an outlet ( 20 ) for discharging water; a plurality of consumable electrical conductive particles ( 11 ) housed in the chamber; means for electrifying the particles which include electrodes ( 37 ,  41 ) and a current source ( 6 ); and separator means ( 36 ) permeable to the water but suitable for confining the conductive particles in a work area of the chamber and which prevents the contact thereof with at least one of the electrodes ( 37 ), the system being characterized in that it comprises
 a unit for monitoring the consumption of particles ( 4 ) which captures data associated with the consumption level of the particles in the reactor;   a control unit ( 2 ) capable of receiving and processing data as well as for triggering, based on these data, commands for operating one or several maintenance devices, the control unit ( 2 ) being connected to the cited principal monitoring unit ( 4 ) for receiving from the same the captured data relating to the consumption of the particles; and   one or several of these maintenance devices, the functioning of which is regulated by the control unit ( 2 ), the only or one of the maintenance devices being a reloading device ( 5 ), capable of introducing new particles in the chamber ( 1   a ) of the reactor ( 1 ).   
     
     
         7 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the principal monitoring unit ( 4 ) comprises a weighing module ( 40 ), from which it is suspended or on which the reactor ( 1 ) rests, the instantaneous weight of the reactor and the content thereof thus being obtained and thus the instantaneous mass (Mi) of the particle bed; and in that the control unit ( 2 ) is prepared for comparing this instantaneous mass (Mi) with a predetermined reference threshold value (Mr), triggering an actuation command of the reloading device ( 5 ) as a function of the result of this comparison. 
     
     
         8 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the reloading device ( 5 ) comprises a store ( 5   a ) for particles ( 11 ) with a discharge pipe ( 5   b ) connected to the chamber ( 1   a ) of the reactor, a particle grader ( 50 ) and a valve device ( 14   a ) operable by the control unit ( 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that a maintenance device is an ultrasound cleaning device ( 7 ) which comprises an ultrasound generating unit ( 12 ) of the magnetostrictive type. 
     
     
         10 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that a maintenance device is a mechanical cleaning device ( 8 ), equipped with a plurality of injectors ( 35   a ) of a gas, a fluid or a mixture of both under pressure which penetrate into the interior of the chamber ( 1   a ) of the reactor ( 1 ). 
     
     
         11 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the mechanical cleaning device ( 8 ) comprises a hydraulic fluid supply circuit with a principal supply branch ( 44 ) from which various blind branches ( 35 ) originate which penetrate into the chamber ( 1   a ) of the reactor ( 1 ) and in which the injectors ( 35   a ) are located or formed. 
     
     
         12 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 11 , characterized in that a unit ( 9 ) for metering a chemical cleaning solution is connected to the hydraulic circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 7 , characterized in that it comprises auxiliary monitoring units ( 10   a ,  10   b ) with means for measuring the conductivity (Ci) of the flow of water to be purified which is introduced into the chamber ( 1   a ) of the reactor ( 1 ); the electrical voltage (Vi) between the electrodes ( 37 ,  41 ); and the current load (Q), being
     Q =(current intensity*time)/volume of water to be purified;   the control unit ( 2 ) being connected to these auxiliary monitoring units ( 10   a ,  10   b ) for receiving the data measured by these and the cited control unit ( 2 ) being prepared for processing these data received from the auxiliary monitoring units to compare them with a predetermined optimal pattern and for operating the device or, as the case may be, the cleaning devices as a function of the result of this comparison.   
     
     
         14 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized in that a degree or order of priority is provided to each cleaning device and in that the control unit ( 2 ) is prepared for activating the cleaning devices in a cascading manner or sequentially following this degree or order of priority according to the deviation of the data received from the auxiliary monitoring units ( 10   a ,  10   b ) with the predetermined optimal pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The system ( 100 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that in the chamber ( 1   a ), a bottom is distinguished, which is arranged below the work area of the chamber, which determines an expansion area to which the inlet ( 15 ) for receiving water is connected, a general draining outlet ( 32 ) and a lower connection ( 43 ) with a recirculation circuit ( 24 ); a middle portion, through which the blind branches ( 35 ) of the mechanical cleaning device ( 8 ) penetrate and in which all or most of the electrodes ( 37 ,  41 ) are arranged; an upper part to which the outlet ( 20 ) for discharging water is connected, an upper connection ( 22 ) with the recirculation circuit ( 24 ) and an inlet for introducing particles into the reactor ( 1 ), all the connections to the reactor being prepared to absorb a vertical movement of the reactor caused by the loss of mass associated with the consumption of the particles or by the gaining of mass associated with the introduction of new particles into the reactor. 
     
     
         16 . A reactor ( 1 ) for electrochemically purifying water which comprises support means on which a water flood chamber ( 1   a ) rests, equipped with at least two electrode elements ( 37 ,  41 ) placed in the interior of the chamber, it being possible to apply electrical voltage to said electrode elements and with separator means ( 36 ) permeable to water, but suitable for confining a bed of conductive particles ( 11 ) in a work area of the chamber, said chamber being provided with various hydraulic connection routes to the exterior, the reactor being characterized in that one or various load cells ( 40 ) are arranged between the support means and the chamber ( 1   a ) in a suitable manner for measuring weight variations in the assembly which rests on said support means.